Alright, long story short, my parents found out I smoke last night. They're not exactly stuck in the "Reefer Madness" era - they know it can't kill you or anything, but beyond that, they're pretty naive/ignorant about it. They printed out a bunch of stuff from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (which couldn't be biased of course) about how marijuana causes changes in the brain and can negatively affect memory/leaning. Also some stuff about how it is addictive and can cause withdrawal. And some "facts" about how it can lead to psychological problems / schizophrenia. Anyways, can anybody help me find some facts/arguments to counteract these claims? I don't mean stuff like, "Just tell them it's not bad for you!" because that's definitely not gonna convince them. I need some concrete facts/info! Thanks in advance for any help you can provide me with. In the meantime, I will continue to do my own research!
Get them to watch The Union: [ame="http://blip.tv/file/1356143/"]The Union: The business behind getting high.@@AMEPARAM@@player.setPostsId(1362521);player.setUsersId(265638);player.setUsersLogin("Zebb")@@AMEPARAM@@1362521@@AMEPARAM@@Zebb[/ame]
ooh, yeah, I should have mentioned that in the original post. I already have The Union loaded up on my computer to show to them, but I'm sure they'll just claim it's a biased documentary made by pro-drug sleazebags or something. That's why I need some more concrete info on it to show them! P.S. I love the doublespeak on the NIDA website: You don't have to use marijuana just because you think everybody else is doing it. Most teenagers do not use marijuana! So, basically, they're saying, "Don't smoke weed because everybody else does, that's peer pressure! Instead, you should NOT smoke weed because most other people DON'T, which isn't peer pressure at all!"
Actually, their statement isn't a logical fallacy at all as far as contradicting itself goes. They're saying that you think everyone else is using it, but in reality it's just the people you happen to be around (if you're being peer pressured). They are claiming that your prior belief that most teenagers smoked is wrong, no matter how many people you've seen smoke. I should keep these studies on hand, but there are numerous studies that prove the relative safety of marijuana in comparison to other legal substances. Ask them if they can find any evidence that someone has died from marijuana. Then, when they get flustered which they will inevitabely will, ask them how many people die from tobacco (if you're 18) or tobacco and alcohol (if you're 21). Then, if my prediction is correct, their final argument which is pretty irrefutable would be "It's still illegal." Then, if you don't mind escalating the situation a bit, you could follow up with civil rights and liberties. How can the government prohibit a plant that has killed less people than aspirin?
thanks for the suggestion about erowid.org, I'll definitely show them some pages from there. As for the NIDA statement, I can see and respect what you're saying, but in my opinion / interpretation of the quote, as well as the other info on their site, they are essentially attempting to alienate/marginalize marijuana users by making them feel like a defective / unhealthy / morally wrong minority. Other than that, thanks for the advice as to what line of argument to pursue with my parents. Round 2 will most likely occur this afternoon / evening. Until then, keep the help coming!